Bale loader



June 30, 1953 c, HANSEN 2,643,604

' BALB: LOADER Filed may 11, 1949 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented `une 30, 1953 UNITED sTATEs NT OFFICE 2 Claims.

1 The present invention relates to bale loaders of the portable type. The balers with which the present invention is concerned are those which have a pick-up at the forward end and which form a cylindrical bale which is dropped at the rear of the baler with the bale axis horizontal and transverse to the direction of the travel of the baler. Such a baler is the Roto-baler manufactured by Allis-Chalmers. In the customary mode of using this type of baler, the bales 'are dropped on the ground as the machine moves along in the field. Accordingly, it is necessary to go over the eld a second time to pick up the bales. This obviously necessitates the use of a second tractor and pick-up loader to load va wagon, also pulled by the second tractor. Factually, it is necessary either to use a third tractor to haul wagons to and from the barn or toA allow picking up to lag behind the baling operation. This is distinctly disadvantageous.

In accordance with the present invention, a loader is mounted upon the baler. The'loader is constructed to receive the bales directly from the baler, entirely dispensing with the customary pick-up operation. The baler is provided with a hitch for pulling a wagon in position to receive bales from the loader. When the improvements of the present invention. are employed, the hay pickup, the baling, the loading, and the drawing of the wagon are performed as a unitary operation. A second tractor may be employed to shuttle wagons to and from the barn.

A preferred form of the present invention is The frame members 3, B, andi constitute the frame of a baler, the members 3 being vertical and at the rear of the baler. The member 5 is a lower frame member and is approximately parallel to the ground. Endless belt 6 is a portion of the bale former, the formed bale being delivered downwardly along the rearward reach of the belt, as shown. In normal operation, a bale, in the position of bale 1, will move downwardly on belt 6 and pass through the position where the wagon hitch 8 is located in the present construction.

In accordance herewith, a deflector 9 is provided whioh is located between the frame members 3 and in proximity to the belt 6. The deector 9, from its edge adjacent the belt 6, is inclined rearwardly of the baler and downwardly,

rpulley I2 is mounted on shaft I0.

, 2 whereby bales deiiectedthereby will roll off of the deector ontothe elevator.

A shaft I0 is supported below the rearward edge of the deflector, being rotatably supported from the frame members 3 by supports II. A The pulley I2 is in driven engagement with a power pulley Ill of the baler, by a drive belt I5. An adjustable belt-tightener pulley- I6, in engagement with the belt I5, is adjustably carried by the arm I'Ia.

The elevating portion of the loader is built upon a frame which includes side frame members II. The forward ends of members II are vsecured. to supports II. Braces I8 and I9 are attached `at their rearward ends to the members I'I and, at their forward ends, to frame members 3 and the deflector 9, respectively. means, the elevator frame members are maintained in a position rearwardly and extending upwardly from the baler. A plurality of frame bars 20 interconnect the two frame members I1. Rails 2| extend lengthwise of the `frame and are Vpositioned on and secured to the bars 20. A shaft 22 is rotatably carried by the outer ends of the frame members I'I.

Two pairs of sprockets 23 andzd are iixedly secured to the shafts IB and 22, respectively. These sprockets are positioned Aimmediately within the frame members I'I and in alignment with each other. Chains 25 and 26 are positioned about the sprockets 23 and 2li. A plurality of conveyor bars 2l are secured t0 the chains 25 and 25, each bar Abeing secured at each end `thereof to one of said chains, The shaft I@ is positioned lower than the proximal ends oi the rails 2 I, so that the upper portions of the sprockets 23 are at a level above the ends of the rails, whereby, as the upper reaches of the chains 25 and 2&5 are moved rearwardly, the angle iron conveyor bars 2 will clear the ends of the rails aid ride thereon.

A pair of iingers 23 is mounted on each of the lconveyor bars 2i to assist the conveyor bars in moving bales rearwardly on the loader along the rails.

A guard may desirably be secured to the rear end of the loader to prevent anyone who is riding in the wagon from. falling on the loader. It also serves to hold the bale loader rigidly and prevent twisting thereof. Such a guard may be constituted of a pair or vertical arms 29 attached to the frame members Il at the rear corners 0f the loader, and a guard rail 3Q at the upper ends thereof, spaced upwardly of the shaft 22. A chain guide 3I may be secured to the :frame 3 members I1, midway of their lengths, in order to maintain the lower reach of the chains spaced from the frame members IT, By this means, as the loader is driven, and with a load being elevated, the lower reach will not shorten appreciably and concentrate the slack of the chain in the upper reach adjacent the sprockets 23.

With the baler in operation and being drawn along the eld, a wagon is connected to the hitch 8 with the forward end thereof in proximity to the rear end of the loader. The pulley It is driven by the baler, which pulley, in turn, drives the pulley I2, through the belt I5. The pulley l2 drives the shaft I0, to which it is xedly secured. Rotation of the shaft l clockwise rtates the sprockets 23 and moves the `upper reaches of the chains 25 and 26 rearwardly, together with the associated conveyor bars 21.

A bale discharged by the baler downwardly on the belt 6 is dellected by the deector 9 away from the belt 6 onto the loader. As best shown in Fig. 1, lower braces I9 are so connected with the deiiector 9 and the loader frame members l1 that they are in a position to contact the ends of the bales as the latter are discharged from the forming belt 6 and pass across the derleetor 9 onto the lower portion of the bale-conveying means of the loader, thus preventing each bale from falling ofi" the inner end of the loader. Similarly, the outer ends of the brace members IS and the adjacent braces for the guard 29, 30 are in a position and engage the ends of the bale, as shown in the right hand portion of 1, and thus prevent the bale from falling ed the outer end of the loader. The bale will rest upon the rails 2l and will be moved rearwardly and upwardly therealong by the conveyor bars 21 and the pins 28 secured thereto, and will be discharged at the rearwardend of the loader into the wagon.

It will of course be understood that the speeic description of structure set forth above may be departed from by variousmodiiications without departing from the spirit of this invention as disclosed in this specification and as defined in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. For use with a portable baler of the type havingl an approximately vertical frame, including a pair of laterally spaced-apart frame members, and means for deliveringsubstantially cylindrical bales downwardly along a substantially verticallyl downwardly movable forming belt, positionedl between said frame members, with the axes of the bales, in general, horizontal; the improvement which comprises a bale deector, including side bars positioned on opposite sides of said forming belt and a transverse structure adapted to extend across in front of said belt,

means for securing the side bars of said bale deector to said frame members in a position therebetween and closely adjacent the discharge portion of said belt with said transverse structure extending downwardly and outwardly from said rear of the forming belt, in order to intercept a bale discharged therefrom, a conveyor frame adapted to be positioned with one end thereof adjacent the lower portions of said frame members and below deflector and in proximity to said belt, said frame extending away and upwardly from said belt and deflector, and means for conveying bales on said frame upwardly along said frame remote from said belt.

2, For use with a portable baler of the type having an approximately vertical frame, including a pair of laterally spaced-apart frame members, and means for delivering substantially cylindrical bales downwardly and rearwardly from a forming belt, positioned between said frame members, with the axesof the bales, in general, horizontal; the improvement which comprises a bale deector, including side bars positioned on opposite sides of said forming belt and a transverse bale-receiving structure amred to said side bars and positioned with its inner portion inwardly ofv said frame members and extending across in Yfront of said forming belt, the outer portion of sid" deflector extending outwardly of said frame members, means for securing the side bars of said bale. deflectorto said'frame members inV a position therebetween and closely adjacent the discharge portion ofv said belt with said transverse structure, extending downwardly and outwardly from the forming belt, in order to interceptga bale discharged therefrom, a conveyor frame adapted to be positioned with one end thereof adjacent the lower portions of said frame members and below deflector and in proximity to saidv beltLsaid` frame extending away andl upwardly from said belt and deeetor, and means for conveyingY bales on said frame upwardly along said frame remote from said belt.

CARL HANSEN.

Bruns et al. Get. iii, i952 

